Hello, Warriors, Dreamers, and Wordsmiths! I will keep this post as short and sweet as I can, but I want the very first thing you read on my blog to be this: For PitchWars, I am not looking for a manuscript that is perfect. I am looking for a book that is filled with potential, and for a writer who has already done the hard work and is prepared to roll up their sleeves and dig in for two months with me. I am looking for someone who is open to critique and who is ready to have an open dialogue about what darlings of theirs might need to change. I am looking for someone who’s excited to learn. I am passionate about this process, and I will work so, so hard for you, if you are ready to do the same.

You are all bright, brilliant things, and I cannot say enough about the courage it takes to submit your work. I wish very much that I could take on each and every one of you who submits to me, but alas, since I can only choose one, let’s move on!

Why You Should Choose Me!

-If you’re curious about what it’s like to work with me from a mentee’s point of view, check out this blogpost to read an interview with my mentee and alt from 2014 and this blogpost with my mentee from 2015.
-Stacy Hackney, my mentee from 2014, received a whopping 12 agent requests during the agent round and is now represented by the lovely Katie Grimm! Julie Artz, my mentee from 2015, received a solidly stupendous 6 requests, and is now working as the talented editor she is! Both of these lovely ladies will likely help me read submissions and have said they would be excited to help my 2016 mentee
-I have extensive critiquing experience: my editing strengths are in plotting (I adore plotting!), character arcs, defining the rules of magic systems, world building, writing at the sentence level (show vs tell, inserting emotion into the text), and honing queries until they shine. I work hard to have precise, thoughtful feedback, be it for bigger overall issues or close in line issues. Two months is, of course, not enough time to teach someone how to write from scratch, but it is enough time for a crash course in some writing elements. We’ll work together to figure out what you need.
-For the past two years, I have done editing with my mentees in two waves. The first being larger issues (plotting!) and the second closer issues (line edits!).
-I have written 10 books, eight of which have been fantasy and the other two were contemporary (this is the main reason why I am not the best fit for a contemporary novel–see below in the “what I’m looking for” section–as I don’t have as much experience writing and critiquing it). I am passionate about the drafting and editing process, and have learned a lot through each of my books. I am so excited to share what I’ve learned with you <3(Please do come find me on Twitter @julianalbrandt. I would love to chat and “meet” you! Or feel free to write any comments questions on this blogpost! I will be happy to respond:)

What I’m Looking For!

I’m looking for MG fantasy this year, both high and low. I am a massive fan of weird magic, unique magic systems, and worlds that haven’t been seen before. I love darkness tinged with humor, characters that form close relationships, mythology that’s woven into plot, quests (QUESTS, I LOVE QUESTS), villains that resonate, and clever main characters who use their wit to escape from tricky situations.

To give you an idea of my reading tastes, check out the list below:

-Otherworld fantasy: HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE (or anything by Diana Wynne Jones, for that matter), THE REAL BOY by Anne Ursu, TUESDAY’S AT THE CASTLE by Jessica Day George, THE HOLLOW KINGDOM by Clare B. Dunkle, THE WITCH’S BOY by Kelly Barnhill, THE THICKETY by J.A. White.
-Fantasy that is NOT magic-based: THE THIEF by Megan Whalen Turner, THE FALSE PRINCE by Jennifer Nielson, PRINCESS ACADEMY by Shannon Hale.
-Dark fantasy: THE PECULIAR by Stefan Bachmann.
-Horror: THE NIGHT GARDENER by Jonathon Auxier, DOLL BONES by Holly Black.
-Historical Fantasy: SERAFINA AND THE BLACK CLOAK by Robert Beatty.
-Magical, adventure stories: THE MAP TO EVERYWHERE by Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis, LIESL & PO by Lauren Oliver, PETER & THE STARCATCHERS by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.
-Stories with beautiful mythology: WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON by Grace Lin. (I would fight tooth and nail for books involving local mythology!)
-Magical Realism: RULES FOR STEALING STARS by Corey Ann Haydou.
-I would shove aside other mentors for a diversecast of characters set in a tight fantasy world. (Send me all the diverse MSs!)

*As an interesting thing to note, the manuscripts I’ve chosen to mentor in recent years have been about children discovering that magic (or something strange and wonderful) exists in the every day world. (This is very clearly NOT chosen one stories or children coming into some secret power (please see below at the “what I’m not looking for” section).) While this is noted, I would be very interested in a MS where magic already exists at the beginning of story (ie: “discovering magic exists” is not the inciting incident).

What I’m Not Looking For

*Sci-fi & contemporary novels are not my strong suit. There are other, incredible mentors who shine in those genres, who you should look at submitting to before thinking of submitting to me.
*I am not as good of a fit for “chosen one” stories, magic systems that have been seen before (such as elemental magic), retellings (or stories using fairytale characters), or portal stories. If your MS has any of these and you still want to submit to me, these elements will have to be very uniquely written for me to be interested.
As a note, I will not be able to respond to everyone who submits to me. I will do my best to respond to the people I request material from. The school year is just beginning though, and I know it would not be healthy for me to promise to respond to everyone’s submissions. I do apologize for this.

The Letter “O” for the bloghop!

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I love all the same books you do. Do you mind a question? Would you consider a MS with animal main characters with their own mythology and magic? I saw from your books page that you like Watership Down, but most of your other books have human MCs, so I’m guessing it would be a hard sell.

Hello Brenda! Thanks for popping in with a question! I love love Watership Down, unfortunately, I don’t have much experience writing or critiquing books with animal MCs, so I don’t know how great of a fit I would be for one!